There have been many attempts to develop shoes or boots for dogs.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,431 issued Jul. 10, 1984 to Suzanne E. Sinclair, a boot for a pet animal is shown comprising a sole member with a flexible upper attached together around the corresponding front and side edges.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,542 issued Nov. 6, 1990 to Bonita M. MacDonald, discloses a dog boot for the rear leg of a dog having a foot, a tarsus joint and a fibular tarsal with a sole extending from the foot to the tarsus joint and an upper heel section fastened to the sole and fixed proximally the tarsus joint shaped so that the boot is anchored on the leg by the fibular tarsal.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,148,657 issued Sep. 22, 1992 to Vondie A. Stafford, et al, discloses a dog boot which has as particular portions, a foot, ankle and calf with the calf and ankle being large enough to accommodate the dog's paw passing through with the front of the boot having a vertical opening and a vertical panel, which is closed by a horizontal belt fastenably at optionally chosen vertical places along the back of the boot.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,495,828 issued Mar. 5, 1996 to Irving Solomon, et al, discloses a mitten-like pet animal boot comprising a pliable sleeve integrally formed to define a stitchless sleeve wherein the stitchless sleeve defines an open top and a closed lower end and is maintained in position by a fastening strap.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,885 issued Jun. 25, 1996 to Sally B. Chamberlain, discloses footwear for hoofed animals and comprises basically a flexible sleeve which is maintained in place by laces for closing and opening.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,186,097 issued Feb. 13, 2001 to Sandra Brockmann, et al, discloses a protective shoes for a dog paw which comprises two layers, at least of one of which is a breathable, semi-permeable material elastically stretchable in both lengthwise and cross directions, which is impermeable to water from the outside and humidity from the inside wherein the protective shoe is maintained in place by two straps.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,470,832 issued Oct. 29, 2002 to Charlton Peacock, relates to an animal boot configured to be similar to a sleeve held in place by a strap.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,526,920 issued Mar. 4, 2003 to Robert Griffin, discloses a boot comprising a boot top portion including a zippered openable and closeable opening with a shield positioned around the front of the boot in its upper portion and maintained in position by a pair of straps.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,546,704 issued Apr. 15, 2005 to Lee A. Fisher, relates a dog boot comprising a planar flexible sheet of material having a high friction surface on one side and is formed having a leg-engaging section and a foot engaging section, each of which is intended to be wrapped around the leg and foot respectively of an animal.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,832,442 issued Dec. 21, 2004 to Patricia Lewis, et al, discloses an adjustably sizeable and protective boot for an animal which has two hook and loop straps, each drawn around the protective boot and fastened to itself and to fastening means. One strap is drawn around the foot covering portion between the toe end and the ankle covering portion and the other strap is drawn around the ankle covering portion.
These animal foot covers, most of which are for dogs, do not adequately address the need for a dog shoe that is easy to use, and is snuggly retained in position on the dog's foot in a manner that is both effortless for the owner and comfortable for the dog.